INDIANAPOLIS – The strongest quarterback background of any Colts head coaching candidate, including history with Peyton Manning, is reportedly having a second interview with Indianapolis.
That would be Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan.
At just 38 years old, Callahan’s coaching resume includes quite the quarterback list, while also being the son of former NFL head coach Bill Callahan.
The younger Callahan got his start in the NFL with the Denver Broncos in 2010.
In Denver, he was an offensive assistant for 6 seasons, including 4 of those with Manning. During Denver’s Super Bowl runs, Manning heaped praise for Callahan’s impact.
After Callahan was in Denver, he moved on to 2 years as Matthew Stafford’s position coach in Detroit and then for a season as Derek Carr’s QB coach.
When Zac Taylor became the head coach of the Bengals in 2019, Callahan was hired as the offensive coordinator.
With the Bengals, Callahan does not call the plays (Taylor does), but he is heavily involved in weekly game planning and has called plays in the preseason.
A quarterback background of Manning, Stafford, Carr and Joe Burrow has to be enticing to the Colts, knowing the desperate need and expected draft pick coming at QB in April.
One thing that stands out about Cincinnati’s offensive resurgence, they have not shied away from making serious investments into their skill group around Joe Burrow. While that might take away from some of the coaching needed, it’s also a committed approach that has worked and something Callahan could want to see more of, if he were to come to Indianapolis.
The Bengals were able to withstand some in-season losses to key personnel RB-Joe Mixon (2-0 without him) and WR-Jamar Chase (3-1 without him) this season and still maintain a spot near the top of the AFC.
It’s fine to have some questions in Callahan not calling plays in Cincinnati, although it’s the same question Nick Sirianni faced when taking the job in Philadelphia.
Of the reported 7 candidates in for a second interview, Callahan and Shane Steichen are the lone offensive coordinators.
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